Sliding rail mounting arrangement

ABSTRACT

A sliding rail mounting arrangement for connecting a sliding rail to a column inside a server rack is disclosed to include a spring clip for clamping on an angled end flange of the sliding rail and securing the angled end flange to one mounting hole of the column, the spring clip having two protruded portions and a retaining spring block for engaging into respective mounting holes and a locating hole at the angled end flange of sliding rail upon clamping of the spring clip on the angled end flange, and a locating pin protruded from one side thereof on the middle for engaging into one mounting hole of the column for enabling the spring clip and the angled end flange of the sliding rail to be affixed to the column with screws to complete the installation by one person.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to the installation of a sliding rail in aserver rack and more particularly to a sliding rail mounting arrangementthat couples each end of the sliding rail to a respective column insidethe server rack.

2. Description of Related Art

A regular server rack is adapted to accommodate a number of servers atdifferent elevations. Pairs of sliding rails are provided inside theserver rack and fixedly connected between columns at differentelevations for receiving servers. After insertion of servers into thesliding rails, servers are locked to the sliding rails. In a standardserver rack, the columns each have a plurality of rectangular throughholes disposed at different elevations for the mounting of the slidingrails and the sliding rails each have a plurality of circular mountingholes at each end for connection to the rectangular through holes of thecolumns, and therefore a locating plate is required for use as anadapter interface between the rectangular through holes and the circularmounting holes.

FIG. 1 illustrates a sliding rail mounting arrangement according to theprior art. As illustrated in FIG. 1, a locating plate 91 is used with asliding rail 93 for fastening to a column 92 with screws 94. Theinstallation of the sliding rail 93 needs two persons. Duringinstallation, one person holds the locating plate 91 and the slidingrail 93 at the column 92, and the other person fasten the screws 94 tothe column 92 and the sliding rail 93 and the locating plate 91. If oneperson wishes to install the sliding rail 93 by oneself, the locatingplate 91 may fall from the sliding rail 93 when inserting the screws 94into the circular through holes 921 of the columns 92.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances inview. It is one object of the present invention to provide a slidingrail mounting arrangement, which enables one person to achieve theinstallation by oneself.

To achieve these and other objects of the present invention, the slidingrail mounting arrangement comprises a sliding rail, and a spring clip.The sliding rail has an angled end flange at one end thereof. The angledend flange has a locating hole and at least one mounting hole. Thespring clip can be clamped on the angled end flange of the sliding rail.The spring clip comprises a left clamping plate, a right clamping plateopposite to the left clamping plate, and a breach-opening definedbetween the left clamping plate and the right clamping plate forreceiving the angled end flange of the sliding rail. The left clampingplate comprises at least one through hole corresponding to the at leastone mounting hole of the angled end flange of the sliding rail, at leastone protruded portion respectively extended along the at least onethrough hole and protruded from an inner side thereof for engaging intothe corresponding at least one mounting hole of the angled end flange ofthe sliding rail, at least one top sloping edge sloping downwards fromthe top of corresponding protruded portion to the breach-opening, and alocating pin protruded from an outer side thereof for insertion to anexternal support. The right clamping plate comprises at least onefastening member corresponding to the at least one mounting hole of theangled end flange of the sliding rail and the at least one through holeof the left clamping plate for fastening to the external support, and aretaining spring block for engaging into the locating hole of the angledend flange of the sliding rail.

During installation, the spring clip can be clamped on the angled endflange of the sliding rail with the at least one protruded portionthereof for engaging into the corresponding at least one mounting holeof the angled end flange of the sliding rail, the retaining spring blockthereof for engaging into the locating hole of the angled end flange ofthe sliding rail by one person to reduce the time of installation waste.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded view showing a sliding rail mounting arrangementaccording to the prior art.

FIG. 2 is a schematic drawing showing pairs of sliding rails installedin a server rack at different elevations according to the presentinvention.

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of a sliding rail mounting arrangementaccording to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an elevational view of the left clamping plate of the springclip according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an elevational view of the right clamping plate of the springclip according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the first embodiment of the presentinvention, showing the protrusion of the left clamping plate engagedinto the respective mounting hole of the angled end flange of thesliding rail.

FIG. 7 is sectional view of the first embodiment of the presentinvention, showing the retaining spring block of the right clampingplate engaged into the locating hole of the angled end flange of thesliding rail.

FIG. 8 is an exploded view of a sliding rail mounting arrangementaccording to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is an exploded view of a sliding rail mounting arrangementaccording to a third embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIG. 2, a server rack 3 is shown comprising four verticallycolumns 31 in four corners which can be magnetically attractive bymagnets, and pairs of sliding rail 1 horizontally connected between thecolumns 31 at two sides for supporting servers at different elevations.These two sliding rails 1 are installed in the server rack 3 in the samemanner. The installation of one sliding rail 1 in the server rack 3 isexplained hereinafter for understanding of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 3, the sliding rail 1 has an angled end flange 11 ateach end. The angled end flange 11 has two mounting holes 111 and alocating hole 112. The mounting holes 111 are respectively and equallyspaced above and below the locating hole 112. Preferably, the mountingholes 111 and the locating hole 112 are transversely extended oblongholes. The angled end flange 11 is connected to one column 31 through aspring clip 2.

Referring to FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 and FIG. 3 again, the spring clip 2comprises a left clamping plate 21, a right clamping plate 22, a ridge24 joining the left clamping plate 21 and the right clamping plate 22,and a breach-opening 23 defined between the left clamping plate 21 andthe right clamping plate 22. The ridge 24 is opposite to thebreach-opening 23. The left clamping plate 21 has two through holes 211respectively disposed near the top and bottom sides, and two protrudedportions 212 respectively extended along the border of the through holes211 and protruding from the inner side in direction toward the rightclamping plate 22, each protruded portion 212 having a top sloping edge213 sloping downwards from the top of corresponding protruded portion212 toward the breach-opening 23, a locating pin 214 perpendicularlyextended from the outer side on the middle and equally spaced betweenthe through holes 211. The right clamping plate 22 has two fixedfastening members, for example, screwed nuts 221 perpendicularlyextended from the outer side corresponding to the two through holes 211of the left clamping plate 21, and a retaining spring block 222protruded from the inner side and protruding toward the left clampingplate 21. The ridge 24 has three through holes 241 that enable the userto open the clamping plates 21,22 with less effort.

Referring to FIG. 6, FIG. 7, and FIG. 1˜FIG. 5 again, duringinstallation, bend the clamping plates 21,22 outwards to open thebreach-opening 23 for enabling the spring clip 2 to be clamped on theangled end flange 11 at one end of the sliding rail 1. At this time, thetop sloping edge 213 guides the respective protruded portion 212 of theleft clamping plate 21 into the respective mounting hole 111 at theangled end flange 11 of the sliding rail 1, keeping the two throughholes 211 of the left clamping plate 21 and the screwed nuts 221 of theright clamping plate 22 respectively aimed at the mounting holes 111 ofthe angled end flange 11 and the retaining spring block 222 of the rightclamping plate 22 engaged into the locating hole 112 of the angled endflange 11. Because the mounting holes 111 and the locating hole 112 aretransversely extended oblong holes, the spring clip 2 can be movedhorizontally relative to the sliding rail 1 within the constraint of theoblong mounting holes 111 and locating hole 112. Of course, it isworkable to have each mounting hole 111 or the locating hole 112designed to be a circular or rectangular hole.

After connection of the spring clip 2 to the angled end flange 11 of thesliding rail 1, the spring clip 2 is attached with the sliding rail 1 tothe column 31 to insert the locating pin 214 into one circular mountinghole 311 at the column 31 (the column 31 is an angle bar having twolongitudinal series of circular mounting holes 311 in the twosidewalls), and then two screws 4 are respectively inserted through theadjacent top and bottom circular through holes 311 at the column 31 andthe two through holes 211 of the left clamping plate 21 and thenrespectively threaded into the screwed nuts 221 of the right clampingplate 22.

As indicated above, the spring clip 2 can be directly plugged into onecircular mounting hole 311 of the column 31 during installation, and theprotruded portions 212 of the left clamping plate 21 and the retainingspring block 222 of the right clamping plate 22 can be respectivelyengaged into the mounting holes 111 and locating hole 112 of the angledend flange 11 of the sliding rail 1 during installation. Therefore, oneperson can easily and quickly install the sliding rail 1 in the serverrack.

FIG. 8 shows a sliding rail mounting arrangement according to a secondembodiment of the present invention. This embodiment is substantiallysimilar to the first embodiment shown in FIG. 3˜FIG. 7 with theexception of the use of a packing plate 52 between the column,referenced by 51, and the spring clip, referenced by 53. The column 51has rectangular mounting holes 511. The spring clip 53 is substantiallysame as the spring clip 2 shown in FIG. 3˜FIG. 7. The packing plate 52has backwardly protruded top and bottom lugs 521 for engaging into therectangular mounting holes 511 of the column 51, and a circular centerthrough hole 522 for receiving the locating pin 531 of the spring clip53.

FIG. 9 shows a sliding rail mounting arrangement according to a thirdembodiment of the present invention. This embodiment is substantiallysimilar to the first embodiment shown in FIG. 3˜FIG. 7 with theexception of the use of a retaining clamp 61. The retaining clamp 61 hasa circular center through hole 611 for receiving the locating pin 631 ofthe spring clip, referenced by 63. During installation, the retainingclamp 61 is fastened to one rectangular mounting hole 621, and thenlocating pin 631 of the spring clip 63 is inserted into the respectiverectangular mounting hole 621 of the column 62 and the circular centerthrough hole 611 of the retaining clamp 61.

As indicated above, the invention enables the sliding rail to beconveniently and quickly be installed in columns 31 having circularmounting holes 311 or columns 51,62 having rectangular mounting holes511,621 by one person.

Although the present invention has been explained in relation to itspreferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possiblemodifications and variations can be made without departing from thespirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

1. A sliding rail mounting arrangement comprising: a sliding rail, saidsliding rail having an angled end flange at one end thereof, said angledend flange having a locating hole and at least one mounting hole; and aspring clip clamped on said angled end flange of said sliding rail, saidspring clip comprising a left clamping plate, a right clamping plateopposite to said left clamping plate, and a breach-opening definedbetween said left clamping plate and said right clamping plate forreceiving the angled end flange of said sliding rail, said left clampingplate comprising at least one through hole corresponding to the at leastone mounting hole of said angled end flange of said sliding rail, atleast one protruded portion respectively extended along said at leastone through hole and protruded from an inner side thereof for engaginginto the corresponding at least one mounting hole of said angled endflange of said sliding rail, at least one top sloping edge slopingdownwards from the top of corresponding protruded portion to thebreach-opening, and a locating pin protruded from an outer side thereoffor insertion to an external support, said right clamping platecomprising at least one fastening member corresponding to the at leastone mounting hole of said angled end flange of said sliding rail and theat least one through hole of said left clamping plate for fastening tosaid external support, and a retaining spring block for engaging intothe locating hole of said angled end flange of said sliding rail.
 2. Thesliding rail mounting arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein saidexternal support comprising at least one column vertically mountedinside a server rack and adapted to support said spring clip, said atleast one column each having a plurality of vertically spaced mountingholes for receiving the locating pin of said spring clip and for theconnection of said at least one fastening member of said spring clip. 3.The sliding rail mounting arrangement as claimed in claim 1, whereinsaid spring clip further comprises a ridge, which joins said leftclamping plate and said right clamping plate opposite to saidbreach-opening, said ridge having at least one through hole.
 4. Thesliding rail mounting arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the atleast one mounting hole of said angled end flange of said sliding railis a transversely extended oblong hole.
 5. The sliding rail mountingarrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the locating hole of saidangled end flange of said sliding rail is a transversely extended oblonghole.
 6. The sliding rail mounting arrangement as claimed in claim 1,wherein said at least one fastening member of said right clamping plateeach is a screwed nut.